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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22987156">Aftershock</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCFox/pseuds/AmeFox'>AmeFox (SCFox)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCFox/pseuds/SCFox'>SCFox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:54:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,906</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22987156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCFox/pseuds/AmeFox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SCFox/pseuds/SCFox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor lands in a pretty perfect world. But she's not entirely sure why. Comes after "Overload." I like the character, ok? And my writing muscles are very rusty so I'm blurting.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Do not read this if you haven't seen Jodie Whittaker's second season. There are MAJOR SPOILERS. It's my way of processing it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Doctor was slumped against the control panel in the TARDIS. She had escaped with her life, but not much else, including any desire to really live it. Nothing would ever be the same and there was nothing she could do about it. She missed her friends, she was lonely. The mechanical whirring of the engines just made things seem so much emptier. She kept getting flashes in her head of The Master, The Cybermen, the whole messy and heart-breaking sequence of events. She rested her arms on her knees, not even really wanting to look up. The TARDIS jerked suddenly, causing her to overbalance.</p>
<p>“Alright. I know I’m moping. But can you blame me?” She sighed, “At least I know why you never quite worked how I wanted you to.” The response was another violent jerk, “OK, ok, I get it. What do you have for me? I suppose I can brood later.”</p>
<p>The TARDIS engines whirred and whooshed, now it had The Doctor’s attention, it landed itself quite politely in their next destination. It wasn’t one The Doctor recognised, or maybe she just wasn’t thinking exactly straight and couldn’t remember it. She did an initial scan of the area, and didn’t find anything that might suggest something was untoward. No obvious flames or screaming. There was however, a bit of an anomalous signal which she couldn’t quite place.</p>
<p>“I suppose I should check that out, shouldn’t I?” she asked nobody in particular.</p>
<p>Cautiously, The Doctor stepped outside of the TARDIS doors and into…a rainforest? It was really humid, and there was just nature everywhere. Hundreds of tall trees with lush green leaves, perfect specimens. A huge array of flowers and plants, that she recognised from all over the galaxy. Each one had little labels on them that started off blank, but if she peered closely words suddenly appeared on it, in her language. Explaining what it was, what it was used for, and all it’s essential information.</p>
<p>“Psychic paper labelling?” The Doctor nodded, “That’s quite clever that.”</p>
<p>As she looked up, although she saw the trees soaring into the sky, she also noticed that they were enclosed by a massive clear glass dome. It seemed to stretch for miles and miles. She could see the sky outside, and light blue with just a little hint of pink. There were clear paths to follow, and more psychic signs. She was in some kind of botanical garden crossed with a museum. She suddenly realised where she was. Iris Hortis. Rainbow garden. This was one of the biggest seed vaults in the galaxy. It was where every species of plant that had been discovered was stored and taken care of, or duplicated, in order to help various societies and civilisations. One of the very few places ever to be protected by all of its neighbours, whatever their race or alignment. If anyone ever tried to take more than they were owed or destroy it, they always lost.</p>
<p>The Doctor actually quite liked it here. Strolling around, taking it in. It smelled warm and damp, and the marshy land squelched pleasantly underfoot. She knew there were other biomes with other climates somewhere, but this was where the odd reading she got was from. All of a sudden, there was a rustling from one of the clumps of trees, and The Doctor yelled in surprise as an absolutely humongous grasshopper sprang out in front of her. It was at least the size of a mastiff, and its mandibles twitched. It buzzed slightly but didn’t approach. Tilting its head curiously, The Doctor edged away.</p>
<p>“Excuse me, we aren’t open yet. How did you get in?” came a distant voice from, somewhere.</p>
<p>The Doctor looked around and saw nothing. The grasshopper however, immediately chittered and looked up. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there as a massive metal walkway spanning across the entire dome, just below the ceiling. There was a tiny figure way up high, it actually gave The Doctor a bit of vertigo to see, she couldn’t quite imagine how it would feel up there.</p>
<p>“I, uh…got lost?” The Doctor responded, although still side eyeing the grasshopper, “Is this yours?”</p>
<p>“That’s just Felix. He keeps away pests.” There was a sudden long pause, “Wait, hang on. I know your voice.”</p>
<p>The Doctor realised she recognised her conversation partner too. From the walkway above, the figure suddenly descended. She rappelled an alarming number of feet straight down, landing in front of The Doctor, and unclipping her harness. Felix hopped over and she scratched his head, then shooed him away. He disappeared in to the grass.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here? Where are the others?” It was Anna.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She looked much the same, but her demeanour suggested she was a fair bit older than when they had first met. Her hair was messier, and dirt was smudged slightly on her cheeks and hands. She was wearing a long-sleeved white t-shirt, and blue overalls, which contained her usual tools. She was sweating slightly and had obviously been working quite hard. She was frowning and wiped her forehead, getting a good look at The Doctor’s face. Now the reading made sense, it was coming from her. There was a flicker and a slight pop as she seemed to come back “online”. She had hopped back onto the telepathic field, and as she saw the other woman looking a bit more dishevelled than normal, with much sadder eyes, she looked alarmed.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong? What happened?”</p>
<p>Her voice was very kind and gentle, and it made The Doctor want to cry, but she didn’t. If anything, she was actually slightly relieved to see a friendly face. However, she shook her head, she wanted to fill her in, but didn’t know where to start and couldn’t form the words yet. Anna nodded understandingly, and The Doctor exhaled the breath she didn’t realise she was holding.</p>
<p>“Do you work here?”</p>
<p>Anna responded readily to the quick change of subject, “Yes, sort of. It’s a bit of a hobby really. Pet project?” She shrugged, “One of the people I helped back on Xeinia told me about this place, a few people actually. They wanted me to visit, and I loved it so much I stayed. I pop off to the other planets now and again, or go for a bit of a wander, but I always come back here.” She looked fondly at the beautiful, living things around her, almost as if a parent would a child. “I’ve always liked gardening, and it’s nice to have so much around me that’s <em>alive</em>.”</p>
<p>“Sounds, perfect.” But that led to another thought, “What about Xeinia?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s a blast from the past. Must have been, wait, how old am I?” She mouthed a few calculations as she worked them out in her head, “350. So, 100 years or so since I met you there? Barin and I trained up a handful of other Empaths that found their ways to us to share the load, so I was able to move on. I still keep in touch, offer a little guidance if required. But mostly I’m free to do my own thing now.” She vainly attempted to dust herself off, but it wasn’t entirely successful and she shrugged. “Do you want a tour?”</p>
<p>The Doctor nodded appreciatively. She was already starting to feel better. She was happy to let Anna chatter away, it was nice to not have to be the one doing it, and she was clearly quite passionate about what she did. She had such drive and optimism; it was impossible not to catch some of it. Once again, the TARDIS had known what it was doing sending her here. There was a pleasant breeze as the automated temperature regulation system adjusted, and there was a rushing of water that got louder as they walked together, The Doctor had her hands in her pockets and Anna was animatedly gesturing at a few special things not everyone noticed. She was so engrossed in listening to her acquaintance, she took a moment to process some of the words.</p>
<p>“Watch out!”</p>
<p>Anna stepped backwards, just as a huge column of water cascaded down the biome and under the bridge they were walking in, the back splash absolutely drenching The Doctor, who yelped. At least it wasn’t cold water. She heard an odd noise beside her, and saw Anna covering her mouth in a very desperate attempt not to laugh in The Doctor’s face, but her shoulders were shaking as she snickered, and The Doctor couldn’t help but smirk slightly too as she rung her hair out.</p>
<p>“Yea, one of the reasons we’re not open for another couple hours, the water cycle program.” She shrugged.</p>
<p>The Doctor was absolutely certain The TARDIS had known exactly where to put her, just for this. She would be having words later. Anna produced a towel from the messenger bag over her shoulder and handed it over.</p>
<p>“Are you parked nearby, or do you want to dry off at mine for a moment? That is if you still want to see the rest. The Arctic Dome would not be fun when wet.”</p>
<p>“Yours?” The Doctor raised an eyebrow, Anna had mentioned travelling around, even when they first met. Did she have a TARDIS?</p>
<p>Anna hadn’t quite realised it was more of a question than an answer, and hesitantly offered The Doctor her hand, clearly understanding she wasn’t exactly in a touch-feely kind of mood. She had pulled out a gold chain from around her neck, which had a ring that The Doctor knew very well on it, and a key. She took the woman’s hand, and they warped out. When they reappeared, it was a bit disorientating. It was like they were back in the biome, but this one was smaller. The floor was a light purplish marble, and the walls seemed to be made of glass, the image of a sky currently across it, but it was hard to tell if it was real or not. There were plants and trellises everywhere, it was like being in a nice conservatory. The control panel was brass colours, with little leaves and flower designs decorating it, and the middle of it had a column that glittered and sparkled like embers in a fireplace, giving the whole place warmth.</p>
<p>There was even a cosy corner off to one side, with a pale blue chaise lounge, a matching armchair and a coffee table that doubled up as a bookshelf. It just screamed Anna, which TARDISes were meant to, but how had she even gotten one in the first place? Had she been to Gallifrey? Not only that, but were they actually inside the key she was holding. Whilst The Doctor was taking everything in, Anna disappeared down stairs that were hidden behind the cosy corner. She came back with a towel and a hairdryer.</p>
<p>“Where did you get this?” It was the first of many, many questions The Doctor had.</p>
<p>“It was a gift from mum. You know she was good at finding things.” Anna shrugged, “She found me this peculiar plant cutting on her travels, and it was the first thing I ever grew myself. I took care of it and one night, she was just sort of there.” She handed over the items, and was left hanging for a while until The Doctor realised and actually took them from her. “It could get a bit awkward to park so I pop her in a pocket dimension when we’re out and about. She seems to like it; means she doesn’t miss out.”</p>
<p>“You managed to put a TARDIS in a pocket dimension, without tearing apart time and space?”</p>
<p>Anna looked puzzled, “Yes? It was her idea, if I’m honest. Just showed me how to do it.”</p>
<p>“You <em>talk</em> to your TARDIS.”</p>
<p>“Well, yes, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“She doesn’t normally talk back. Well she did once, but…”</p>
<p>“If you want to get yourself sorted, there’s a spare room down the stairs and first right. It’s where my friends tend to stay if they’re visiting.” Anna smiled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Doctor descended, before her gracious host could notice the involuntary wince as she mentioned having friends to stay, like it was just a normal thing. Her approach to everything was just so, normal. The way she so casually grew her own TARDIS, and then that TARDIS teaching her how to stabilise a pocket dimension? It was concerning, but The Doctor didn’t know why. Then she realised it wasn’t just concern. It was jealousy. Anna had no idea what had gone on yet, nor any of its implications for her. She wasn’t who she thought she was, or maybe, that was the point? She was one hundred percent, completely herself. She was something new, and different. An organic ‘Time Lord’. She’d never known Gallifrey, or how it worked, she never had to live by their rules, or face a rip in the whole of space and time as a child. The Doctor’s revelation had absolutely no impact on her. She also didn’t know what she didn’t know, because The Doctor had never told her. She had never even known she existed until she was already 250 years old.</p>
<p>“Doctor, are you ok down there?” came Anna’s concerned voice.</p>
<p>The Doctor had completely lost track of how long she had disappeared for, but she managed to make herself presentable and dry off. She mused even longer over what little she knew of Anna, she had mentioned meeting Barin in the Time War, but not how or why. She had spent years reforming the most heinous criminals, successfully. Her contributions had earned her freedom, and purpose, and The Doctor was angry at how unfair it all was, and then chastising herself for being envious of her own daughter. The daughter she never knew existed and had spent no thought for.</p>
<p>“Doctor?”</p>
<p>Anna had been worried enough to try and come find her, in case she had gotten lost, or something was wrong. She found The Doctor staring so intently at the mirror, it looked like she was trying to will her reflection to combust or something. She attempted to back out of the door again, only to trip over a stool she was fairly certain wasn’t there a second ago. The ‘vibes’ coming off The Doctor were overpowering, a mixture of pain, anger, sadness, fear, everything all jumbled up. She wanted to ‘pop off’ the telepathic radio, but she was well aware The Doctor would know she had done it and her heightened empathy was already screaming in her head.</p>
<p>“Doctor…do you…need to tag out for a bit? I can take the edge off, if you want me to.”</p>
<p>The Doctor whirled on her heel, having been completely oblivious to the arrival of her plant-loving host, and the vibes immediately shut down as she endeavoured to put her wall back up. Although it made things easier to breathe, a flicker of annoyance crossed Anna’s face. She had seen this before, trying to hide what was really going on inside and it was never good. Had The Doctor not learned? The Doctor noticed her brief irritation, having come to the same conclusion herself. She actually felt a little relief at the fact that Anna was already not going to let her play the same game, or be a yes man. Her life seemed so perfect and happy that it was intimidating, but there was definitely an edge there of someone who had been through the wringer and come out the other side. The Doctor recognised it.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you’ve been through Doctor, and I won’t deign to tell you how to deal with it. But, with all due respect you <em>need</em> to deal with it. That much is obvious. I know you’re going to be angry that I’m saying that, like I think you don’t know, and I’m ok with that. Be angry at me if you want, tell me to mind my own business, whatever. Do it your way. If you want me to help and I can, I will, but only you can decide that.”</p>
<p>The Doctor looked away, it was hard to hear, even if it was necessary. Anna had the benefit of not really knowing her yet. The clarity of seeing things through a stranger’s eyes. She didn’t default to her authority, she definitely had plenty of her own. Just like River, and The Doctor herself. She turned back to face the other woman, and held out her hand.</p>
<p>“Fine. But just to untangle threads, ok? It’s all going too fast in there for even me to compute.”</p>
<p>Anna raised an eyebrow and gave a slight smirk, which was where the River in her really came in to play. There was a brief quiet, so just the humming of Anna’s TARDIS could be heard, even it seemed natural and calm, like a buzzing bee. She was trepidatious to dive into The Doctor’s head, but it was what she had done for years to help other people. She took a deep breath, and transported herself. She was in a white circular room, with The Doctor standing in the middle of it, waiting for her. As soon as she touched down, she was met by a cacophonous din. It was so loud her head hurt and she felt nauseous. Regardless she didn’t shy away, instead looking up at the slideshow of chaos that was running so fast she couldn’t even focus on it.</p>
<p>“See?” said The Doctor, almost smugly, she had essentially laid down Anna a challenge by accepting her in there. Anna had been right, she was annoyed that this young lady who she’d only ever met once, was telling her what to do.</p>
<p>But Anna refused to pander to her. She didn’t dance around the elephant in the room, like everyone else usually did. She stared hard at The Doctor, not blinking. If they had been in person, the tension in the air would be palpable. She clicked her fingers, the gesture in itself slightly catching The Doctor off guard, and one of the reams that were spinning around the room slowed, and the noise lessened slightly. This particular ‘video’ seemed to star a gentleman with a black leather jacket, and a young woman with blonde hair.</p>
<p>“What’s your name?” came the voice of the Doctor, just after the Time War.<br/>“Rose.”<br/>“Nice to meet you Rose. Run for your life!”</p>
<p>Anna watched as The Doctor saw that particular thread from start to end. Her arrogance had been momentarily replaced by a mixture of happiness and sadness, loss and optimism. It was so long ago that she had seen her friend, the one who she had maybe even loved. The astral Doctor turned to Anna, a muted respect in her expression.</p>
<p>“I can unravel but it’s up to you what you do with what you find.” Responded the other woman.</p>
<p>The Doctor held a hand out, and the whole comic-strip like story of her and Rose started floating down towards it, a gentle drifting of gold dust, that briefly illuminated her own figure, before disappearing. “Ok. You passed. This time.”</p>
<p>Anna smiled, “Good. Now, shall we move on?”</p>
<p>There was a slight pop, and The Doctor and Anna were both back in the spare room, staring at one another. Having caught a glimpse of what was really going on, Anna’s demeanour had shifted ever so slightly to a quiet understanding, and The Doctor respected that. She also felt buoyed from having been reminded of Rose, and her own past optimism. The tension that had been there was allayed as they both went back upstairs to the main control room.</p>
<p>“We have a whole planet of biomes to visit. It takes most visitors a life time to see all of them. I think even you would be here a while. But if you like we can go to a different one.” Anna beamed, a glimmer of excitement in her face. “Do you want to see my favourite?”</p>
<p>“Go on then. Impress me.”</p>
<p>The conversation was cut short however, by a screen popping up by the control panel, and a blue flashing light. On the screen was what seemed to be a young humanoid woman, with a slight orange tint to her skin, and small curled horns, with red hair tied up carefully around them. There was a hive of activity behind her as well, a couple more figures hurrying around.</p>
<p>“Anna! Are you there?”</p>
<p>Anna hurried over, “Yes Luci, I’m here. Where do you need me to be?”</p>
<p>“AP-11AR. I think they’re only heading there purely because that’s the direction they’re coming in from.” Luci suddenly spotted The Doctor behind her, “Who’s that?”</p>
<p>“Oh, er,” now <em>there</em> was a question. How on earth was Anna going to explain exactly who or what The Doctor was, and then just decided to tell the truth as she saw the accusatory expression on not only Luci’s but the other two behind her’s faces, she wasn’t sure what would feasibly de-escalate them, “This is my, mother?” she shrugged. It felt uncomfortable to say, and to hear, she briefly muted the conversation as she saw The Doctor’s face, “Sorry about that. But these guys are pretty protective so honesty is the best policy.” She unmuted the conversation.</p>
<p>“Isn’t your mother dead?” A seemingly very tall young man with pale aqua skin, with violet eyes and a broad, flat nose had come over.</p>
<p>“Modar!” cried Luci, “That’s really rude!”</p>
<p>“One of them is,” Anna explained.</p>
<p>“Wait what?” Modar looked entirely baffled.</p>
<p>“I appreciate this is weird, but we have to focus,” Anna responded, firmly but not unkindly. “What are we looking at?”  </p>
<p>“Just the one ship I think, not sure who’s on board.” Luci was obviously scrolling through some kind of screen, “It’s pretty beat up, truth be told. They seem to be…what the? They’re diverting life-support to weapon systems?! I can’t call them! Anna, help!”</p>
<p>Anna nodded, and then immediately started up her TARDIS. She piloted it with ease, it had literally been purpose built by her for her. As they landed, she motioned for The Doctor to come on, grabbing her hand as they both flew out of the door. They materialised in the room they had just been watching, and Anna let go of the key.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Doctor was painfully aware that literally everyone in the room but Anna was staring at her, with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. They knew Anna had been raised by a human called River Song, but she never responded to any questions about the other half of that equation. They only knew that Anna was ‘missing’ a parent, who she knew barely anything about and had never really met and that was purely because she’d accidentally been given ginger in her tea and it made her a bit fuzzy.</p>
<p>It was a very odd collection of people. Aside from the horns, Luci had a forked tail and pupil-less orange eyes, Modar was huge and seemed sort of lightly scaled, with no apparent ears, at least externally. Across from them at another data bank was a young-looking grey skinned man with long pointed ears and what looked like pieces of carapace grafted on to his shoulders and calves. Anna looked the most human.</p>
<p>The control room was bright and airy, seemingly set above the planet of Iris Hortis, and it was made largely of glass, even the floors, just like Anna’s TARDIS. They could see everything from every angle. Aside from that it was a basic office set up. Three individual sets of screens and a large 3D map of the planet spinning on its axis in the centre of the room. Coming towards it was a pointed ship with four other engines/sections attached to the main one. It was practically falling to pieces.</p>
<p>“The shields are going to incinerate them. If they don’t stop,” it was the grey man, “They’re being so reckless. Why are they being so reckless? Why can’t they just talk?”</p>
<p>“Desperation,” chorused Anna and The Doctor. Anna turned to the other woman, “I hate to ask, but I don’t have time. Can you find a way to help Modar get through to them?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” The Doctor looked around, and was immediately handed a pair of welding goggles by the mountainous individual, who clearly had questions but was focusing on the task at hand. He accepted that if Anna knew this individual was smart enough and mechanical enough to help, he wasn’t going to argue. The pair of them went over to the main power source, located underneath the spinning map.</p>
<p>“Luci, have you heard from the others?” Luci, clearly in some kind of communications role, nodded, “Yes. As soon as the ship appeared, Jarad and his team warned us. They’re willing to intercept if required, just to keep them away from the shields. Whilst Thomas tries to work out who’s on board.”</p>
<p>The grey man, Thomas, was filing through a data bank, “The scans are picking up maybe twenty people, humanoid…possibly even human some of them. But at least half have shocking vitals.”</p>
<p>Anna shook her head sadly, they had seen things like this before. The planet was quite a household name in most places. It was a unifying presence of vitality, food, ecosystems. If any planet was in trouble for whatever reason, say a crop failed, or the atmosphere was knocked off kilter, Iris was the place they could come to for help and resources to take back and repair the damage. It also offered ingredients for medicines and analysed pathogens and the like, anything that could impact anyone. It was a hub of power and knowledge of all it’s galactic neighbours, so made a prime target for unsavoury characters who wanted to run their own all-knowing empire, or charge for the privilege of not dying. Not a one of them had succeeded, and that was because of the people in that room. Then there were some who were struggling, or new to the area and didn’t know the protocol, and would do anything to stay alive.</p>
<p>Whilst they were working on the communication system, Modar and The Doctor seemed to have similar mindsets and ways of working out problems. She was even impressed; he really did seem to be intelligent. He right away recognised her worth in the way she spoke, quickly, but accurately. He kept catching sideways glances at her, as if searching for some kind of resemblance to Anna, but he didn’t find it in her physicality. It was in her mannerisms, her countenance and quiet sadness. But she didn’t have quite such a bright spark of hope as his long-time friend. It was there, but clouded.</p>
<p>“So, how does this all work then? The four of you, defenders of a planet vital to the survival of hundreds of other planets. I can’t imagine it’s a quiet life.”</p>
<p>Modar shrugged, “It didn’t used to be. When we first started, we spent a majority of our time fighting off intruders that would steal things, to use against their enemies, exploit their weaknesses, try to dominate. Attempt to raid rarities to sell on the black market. We got burned down and restarted so many times I lose track.” He sighed, realised he was talking a lot and waited for The Doctor’s response. She merely nodded that he continue, “But gradually, we started getting support from those same people, once they realised. The most hardened criminals seemed to suddenly realise what could be.”</p>
<p>He tweaked something and it sparked slightly, causing him to exhale sharply and drop his tool, he looked completely embarrassed, but The Doctor just gave him a small smile and passed it back to him. She was very interested in his story, and once more was enjoying not having to do all the talking. He thanked her and continued, passing her the thing she needed next.</p>
<p>“It started off with just the two very nearest planets. I think they respected our tenacity, and the fact that we were trying to balance both sides. One day we might save their enemies, but one day, we might save them. One of them, Jarad, had come back from a place called Xeinia, I don’t really know much about it, some kind of prison? He was tough and strong and terrifying, but all of a sudden, he didn’t use it for his own benefit. He convinced the other members of his race to give it a chance. Not long after that, the other planet welcomed home Ovlan, one of Thomas’ ancestors. Same story. He’d come back from this place completely changed.”</p>
<p>“Jarad, is he one of your ancestors?”</p>
<p>Modar nodded, “We had all grown up at war with each other, over some stupid thing nobody could remember, and were suddenly being told, “No. There’s another way, by the very people who used to lead the battles.”</p>
<p>“So they’d both come back from Xeinia pacifists?” pressed The Doctor.</p>
<p>Modar nodded, “More or less. Do you know it?”</p>
<p>“I do.” That was all The Doctor was going to say on the matter.</p>
<p>“But anyway. It just gradually kind of evolved from there. One by one other people would try and fail to ‘conquer’ us and they’d be repelled or join us. Then Anna happened.” He couldn’t hide the awe in his voice. “And wouldn’t you know, Ovlan and Jarad had been the one to invite her here, to prove themselves to her.” He glanced behind his shoulder, staring slightly wistfully at Anna, and The Doctor looked down to make sure he didn’t know she’d noticed. “Everything kind of accelerated from there. She would share her knowledge, but only when we asked for it, or she’d have some kind of a contact who was interested in taking part. I swear she knows <em>everyone</em>.” He shook his head in disbelief, “Of course, it made us a really, really big target. About 70 odd years ago, a full-on united army from across the galaxy found us and attacked. Purely because they hated so many people co-operating with one another for mutual benefit. It just was not in their programming or whatever.”</p>
<p>The Doctor felt a coldness in her stomach, it sounded alarmingly familiar to events in her own past, including the enemies they had been facing. Images began to swirl in her mind as she struggled to keep them at bay. She shook her head briefly to get rid of them, noticing that thankfully Modar hadn’t spotted it.</p>
<p>“They didn’t respond to reason, wouldn’t contact us, didn’t even want anything except to completely destroy all of us. The planets were all gearing up for conflict, however reluctantly, but the equipment wasn’t up to much as it had been so long since they had been used.”</p>
<p>“So what did she do? Rebuild them?”</p>
<p>“Nope, not a chance. In fact, she specifically said not to use them because she didn’t want people getting hurt. Instead she learned all she could from the people around them, and came up with a plan. When they wouldn’t talk or leave, she made them. She hacked in to their weapons and guiding systems, and flung them away into deep space. Then she installed the shields as a precaution, never to be used really. After all we’d all signed the proclamation and the rules. No hostility, support and assistance only. She decided to stay, and I think just that knowledge stopped any other parties from trying it again.” The Doctor and Modar were steeped in silence for a minute before it was broken.</p>
<p>“Modar.” It was Anna’s voice, she was peering over them having come to see how they were doing, he jumped a mile and looked really embarrassed. “You’re over dramatizing again. You’re the one that hacked the systems after Thomas analysed them, and Luci was the one that gained sources and information from Ovlan, Jarad and the others. I did nothing.”</p>
<p>“But you told us how to do it and what to do!” argued Modar, seemingly annoyed Anna was underselling herself.</p>
<p>Anna smiled, “I offered suggestions, you did the work. How are we getting on?” She glanced at The Doctor.</p>
<p>“You should be able to speak to them now, Modar has done a good job.”</p>
<p>As Anna disappeared, Modar’ fists were still clenched, “She always does that. She won’t take credit for anything she does it’s like she doesn’t even see how brilliant she is.”</p>
<p>“Or maybe that’s why she’s brilliant. I can’t see many people fawning over someone who was arrogant or judgemental.”</p>
<p>“I was not fawning. You just watch, you’ll see what your daughter can do.”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was that odd discordance again. Daughter. Didn’t seem right. She’d had children in past lives, but they were long, long gone. Anna was an outlier, a bit of an impossibility. She had managed without her for 350 years already, and seemed entirely unfazed. Modar and The Doctor climbed out of the pit, with help from Luci and Thomas to haul themselves up. The four of them stood around Anna as she looked up at the screen, dialling the approaching ship. The screen stayed blank for a while before it flickered to life, and showed the surprised and somewhat dishevelled crew.</p><p>“So, here’s the thing. Around here we generally say hello before aiming guns at people.” Anna’s tone was another reminder of River, with just a hint of…Amy? “I take it you’re new to this quadrant.”</p><p>“How are you contacting us. We’ve redirected our systems.” The person on the other side was an older man, perhaps 60. Human, according to Thomas’ calculations.</p><p>“We know,” Luci’s voice was aghast, “What the devil did you minimise your life support systems for?! That’s suicide.”</p><p>“I don’t care what fancy tricks you lot are playing on us, but we have been waiting too long and searching too far to allow anything to stop us!” The man was aggressive in tone, but there was a hint of a waver behind it.</p><p>“No. That isn’t how it works.” Responded Anna, leaning into the camera, “What we do is ask who you are, why you’re here and how can we help. If we have something you need, you could just say please.”</p><p>“What?” There was a woman suddenly behind the gentlemen, younger, but a striking resemblance. Some kind of family relation.</p><p>“Also human,” Thomas muttered in Anna’s ear.</p><p>“I suggest you stop where you are and get your life support back up, because there’s a barrier over this place which will completely disintegrate you, and nobody wants that to happen,” Anna folded her arms.</p><p>The woman muttered something to the man, who suddenly looked afraid. “We can’t. It’s a failsafe. Once we set the no holds barred protocol, we can’t change it.”</p><p>“Well that’s a really stupid design,” scoffed Modar.</p><p>“Who are you people anyway?” it was the younger woman this time, “We were told this was hostile territory, but that there’s a planet that is our last chance of survival. We need medicine and food.”</p><p>“Either you’ve got the wrong address, or you’ve got unreliable news sources,” responded Luci.</p><p>Anna murmured something to Modar. The Doctor was deliberately keeping out of it, just to see how they all handled this. He nodded and hurried off to get the shield down, with help from Thomas. Luci was monitoring their vitals and location, and Anna was leaning casually on the control panel.</p><p>“This is the planet of Iris Hortis. Food and medicine is kind of what we do. My name is Anna Song, and these are my friends. Modar is the grumpy one, and Thomas is helping him redirect our shields. Luci will guide your shop down to a safe harbour. Who are you, who needs help, and where are you from?”</p><p>The younger woman had completely taken over, having apparently directed the older man to try and do something to help. “Iris? We thought you were a myth. Too good to be true.”</p><p>Anna shrugged, “Every myth is based on fact. We are pretty good, but we are standing right in front of you. I’ll say it again. Who are you, what do you need and where are you from?”</p><p>“I’m Julia Murdoch, that’s my father Arthur. We and our friends escaped our home planet of Auros when it was destroyed. We picked up a couple of others on the way, they’re Phantidae and got stranded when their ship malfunctioned. They’re sick but our physiology is too different for us to help them.” The screen panned over to two huge elephant-like humanoids who were obviously unwell. “Please Miss Song, help us.”</p><p>“Anna is fine.” She started up one of the systems, “I’m going to hack your ship. Don’t be alarmed, but it’ll take out your weapons and redirect the energy flow to the important bits. Like, keeping you alive.”</p><p>It was a tense few moments with everyone working as fast as they could, they all had their jobs to do and they were getting on with them. The synergy was immense. They were from all over the place, it was hard to tell where and when from precisely, but they just worked. The Doctor watched it all happen on the 3D map. The shields that had flared to life eventually subsided, and the opposing crew looked relieved. Next, the ship buzzed to life again, the systems were online and the weapons were defunct.</p><p>“We’ll land you in our Med Dome,” directed Luci, “I’ll send a map over to you and we’ll meet you there. I’m also included the contact number for Anna. You should be able to find each other fairly easily but if there are any problems, direct them to her.”</p><p>“Consider me your customer service assistant,” Anna smiled, and Julia and Arthur even gave slightly relieved chuckles. “We’ll sort you out and then see if we can’t find somewhere to settle you on a more permanent basis.”</p><p>The whole atmosphere had completely changed. There was no tension or hostility at all, if anything it was hope and friendship emanating from all of them as the screens disconnected. Their shoulders had dropped and they seemed to be breathing much more freely now. Thomas and Modar joined their friends again, and the four of them were positively jubilant, all high fives and hugs. The Doctor did not join in, but they all nodded at her appreciatively for her part in everything. The enjoyed their moment, and then moved on.</p><p>“Right. I better go and meet our guests,” decided Anna, then turned to The Doctor, “Would you like to come?”</p><p>“If you think it’d help.”</p><p>Anna shrugged, “Two friendly faces are better than one.”</p><p>“Are you saying my face isn’t friendly,” protested Modar with mock-offense.</p><p>“It’s glorious bud, but the three of you have much more important jobs to make sure things go smoothly and I wouldn’t like to take you from them.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With that, Anna and The Doctor disappeared from the station again and back on to Anna’s TARDIS. She seemed to be talking to the ship whilst The Doctor waited. She was currently going through what she had just witnessed. It was strange to be on the outside of the phenomenon. Anna had gone in, taken charge, and fixed the problem. She encouraged people to use their own initiatives and skills. Like that one teacher who genuinely wanted the best for the people they were teaching. The whole sequence was emblazoned in The Doctor’s mind, particularly the name. Anna Song. It somehow made the whole situation more solid in her brain. Not to mention Modar bending over backwards to pointedly tell The Doctor just how good the daughter she had apparently abandoned was.</p><p>The ship dematerialised, and then reappeared in some kind of moor land. There were wide open expanses of grass, with rocks scattered and jutting out, and a few clumps of trees. The atmosphere was not dissimilar to Earth’s, and there was a little twinge in The Doctor’s hearts. This time, they actually stepped out of the vessel, and she saw what its exterior appearance was. Hers was a Police Box. Anna’s was an entire tiny house, which somehow suited her absolutely perfectly. There was some kind of panel near where they landed, embedded in one of the trees.</p><p>The Doctor watched as Anna entered a code, and the scenery shimmered, revealing a large white building that had been hiding out of view. It made sense that they wouldn’t want a place where they dealt with sick and injured people to be an easy to spot target. What had seemed like just open land actually had little landing lights in it now, and The Doctor saw the battered looking ship making a wobbly landing. The wind blew their hair back and made their eyes water slightly, and Anna immediately stood up straight, with a huge warm smile on her face. The crew that exited the ship were bedraggled and in rags, looking haunted and tired. Four of them were helping the two Phantidae to stand. They were much bigger, with tough grey skin, and huge ears, not to mention the tusks and trunks. Humanoid elephants. In a matter of moments, a group of people in white medical uniforms came over, helping them on to stretchers and whisking them inside.</p><p>Arthur and Julia were at the fore front of the humans, and Anna walked over, sensing their disbelief and trepidation. “Welcome to Iris. Thomas has briefed the staff on your friend’s needs. It was incredibly noble of you to try and help them when you were struggling yourselves.”</p><p>Arthur looked at her, “We weren’t just going to leave somebody in need.”</p><p>Anna’s eyes warmed, “I think you’ll fit in very nicely here. I’ve already sent messages out to our neighbours to see if there’s somewhere for you to go. For now, you can wash, eat and rest.” In a sudden rush of movement, Julia all but launched herself at Anna, bursting into tears. Initially startled, Anna relaxed in to it. Even without deliberately tuning in she could feel the overwhelming sadness and relief from this group of refugees. She patted rubbed her back and held her tight, and a lot of the other travellers started moving forward. She was full of kind murmurs and gentle smiles, although a slight hum in the ‘Time Lord’ ether hinted to The Doctor it was slightly uncomfortable for her.</p><p>As the group walked towards the large glass doors of the domed hospital, The Doctor followed in at the back.</p><p>“We have just a few rules for our guests,” she instructed, firm but kind, “We share what we have and defend what we love, but we are pacifists. Hearts and brains over guns and bombs. We take care of each other here. The past is the past, the present is fleeting, but the future is infinite and we want everyone to have one.”</p><p>“But what if someone doesn’t want to do that?” asked one of the other people.</p><p>“If there’s ever a problem, you call me. I will deal with it.” Came the response, and something in her demeanour just screamed that she would. “But on a happier note, who’s hungry?”</p><p>The group hurried off, but The Doctor hung back. “Anna, how easy is it to get from one dome to another here? You seem busy and I think I’ll go find my TARDIS. She’s probably wondering where I am.”</p><p>Anna rifled in her messenger bag, drawing out what looked like a thick jade bracelet, and clipped it on The Doctor’s wrist. “Teleport network, only the staff get these, and only in case of emergency. Although given the extenuating circumstances, I don’t think they’ll mind. If you tell it where you want to go, it’ll land you in the maintenance office of whichever dome you need.” She paused, looking at The Doctor, “I’ll be wanting it back if you’re planning on leaving.” She left the unspoken question in the air, and watched as The Doctor disappeared.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back in the comfort and safety of her own TARDIS, she leaned against the control panel, mulling over everything that had just happened. Considering the new memories she had recently regained, about her own childhood, and her own mother Tecteun, there was a whole new layer of complications. She had no idea which her was Anna’s original parent, but it was painfully obvious that she was telling the truth about their relationship. In the back of her mind, she wondered if that parent had some vague recollection of what went on in the past, and wanted to spare Anna from the danger and chaos that The Doctor usually attended. Clearly it hadn’t worked. She’d been in The Time War, she’d established a prison that designed its punishments around the inmates’ own heads, she’d accidentally established a whole intergalactic neighbourhood co-operation that was specifically designed to keep things alive, and also been on the offensive against what sounded like Cybermen and Daleks. That was just what she had learned today.</p>
<p>She paced the control room. Anna was her daughter, actual biological daughter. Which meant, she wasn’t Gallifreyan or Time Lord at all either. Probably even less so than The Doctor, having never been. She had a whole other family out there, a whole new origin that she didn’t know about. Surely she had the right to know about that. Or was The Doctor being selfish dropping that on her, just so she wouldn’t be alone in it? She seemed to have grown up happy, if disjointedly. But she was still so young, what if people took advantage of that? Though she was smart enough and wise enough to reform criminals.</p>
<p>“Why did you bring me here?” she raised her voice at the TARDIS. “Obviously it’s because of her, but what do you expect me to do with that?”</p>
<p>She wasn’t sure what the TARDIS was saying. Was she pointing out that you could go through it without hiding your pain from the people you cared about? Was she comparing Anna’s achievements to her own? Was she saying ‘we both know you shouldn’t travel alone’ or was Anna potentially in danger?</p>
<p>It was infuriating. Eventually she decided to just go back to the control room to give back the teleport module, and then be on her way, she didn’t want to be thinking about all of this just yet. So she did. She landed her TARDIS in the loading bay, and made her way to the control room. There were voices behind it, and The Doctor couldn’t help but stop and listen.</p>
<p>“So, she’s really your mother?” it was Luci. With a quick scan of the doors, The Doctor saw that Anna was sat on the other side of it, and her friends were around her.</p>
<p>“Yep. Or maybe father. Kind of both. It changes sometimes,” Anna shrugged. “I think she was my father, because of the whole me being born by a human hybrid thing who was female, but she’s still the same person, just now technically my mother.”</p>
<p>“Have you ever been a man then?” Modar’s voice had an odd pitch to it.</p>
<p>Anna laughed, “No. I’ve only died once, and came back pretty much the same.” There was a stunned silence, and she realised she hadn’t actually told them that.</p>
<p>“You <em>died</em>?!” Luci sounded horrified, and immediately scrambled over, hugging Anna very tightly.</p>
<p>“What happened?” Thomas was morbidly curious.</p>
<p>“I was stupid enough to stumble in to a war. You know my friend Meredith?” there were murmurs of acknowledgement, “I hadn’t had my ship long and got my co-ordinates a bit confused. I landed in the middle of a battle, and once I realised, I ran away. I landed on a planet that was being ravaged by these things called Daleks. I found her and her platoon trying to flee to safety, but their teleport was down. I wanted to help them, but being apparently one of the warring races, even though I’d never step foot on the planet they thought I was from, they tried to kill me. Eventually I just shuffled them in to my ship and took them away.”</p>
<p>“So that’s how you’ve learned to do it here?” Luci again.</p>
<p>“Yea. It was a nasty war and apparently nobody cared about the little guy. So I borrowed a faster ship, leaving them safe in mine for a while. I kept going back, following Meredith’s messages to find survivors and get them the hell out of dodge, trying to do what I could.”</p>
<p>“So you were essentially a medic driving and ambulance in a war through the whole of time and space?” Thomas was clearly well read on the incident.</p>
<p>“Yep. I did quite a few trips, but the last time I went up, there was this weird shield thing blocking me. I didn’t have my own ship, so no shields. Nowhere to hide, and they found me. They were really pissed that I’d defended their targets. I rigged the ship into an explosive…”</p>
<p>“YOU BLEW YOURSELF UP?!” shrieked Luci.</p>
<p>Anna shrugged, completely casual about it. “Yes. I wasn’t going to let them find my logs and where I’d left them. I promised I’d do what I could to save them. So I took out myself, and a whole bunch of them.</p>
<p>“Did you…feel it?” Thomas’ voice was barely a whisper.</p>
<p>Anna was quiet for a very, very long time. Thomas’ heart rate skyrocketed, wondering if he had pushed just that little bit too hard, and the others were looking at each other. Anna was so cheerful and friendly. She had her moments, but only when there was a threat, and that made a whole lot more sense to them considering the history.</p>
<p>Eventually, Anna spoke. “Yes. Every millisecond. Every cell burning, it was the most horrendous pain I have ever been in in my life.”</p>
<p>“But, you’re here now?” Luci was quiet but confused.</p>
<p>“So it seems. Mum had politely declined to inform me that one of my dad slash other mum’s quirks was regenerating. Maybe to keep me from being reckless? But anyway, I woke up somewhere in space.”</p>
<p>“Alone?” Modar sounded horrified.</p>
<p>“Yea. My ship must have known though, because she found me. With my new companions on board. Meredith took me in and looked after me. I realised something was very different. Every time she or one of the others came close, I hurt. Physically, mentally, emotionally. I felt everything they felt and it was crushing. Meredith explained the whole weird Empath thing I told you about. Apparently blowing myself up to save the others impressed the universe or whatever. So they decided to dump a whole lot more shit in my lap. What a prize eh?” Anna stood up and walked away, shrinking into herself. “That’s why I do this, y’know. I never, ever, ever want anyone else to feel the way I did. Never again, not if I have something to say about it.” Her tone changed as she smiled a warm, sad, determined smile, “And I would do it all over again.”</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Doctor was stunned. Now she understood. Anna said and believed exactly the same thing that the Doctor had. Almost word for word. She was years behind The Doctor in terms of age, but they were on the same page. The same point, right now.  Almost anyway. There was a slight difference. Facing an identical choice about whether to be a killer or a coward, Anna had chosen the former. If anyone could help Anna navigate the implications of it all, The Doctor could. Also, if anyone could help The Doctor come to terms with what she was going through right now, Anna could.</p>
<p>“I still don’t understand why River didn’t tell you about the woman with you today. Why she didn’t tell her about you.” Modar was still slightly incredulous.</p>
<p>“There were more important things to deal with in the universe than me, and from what I can tell, she was off doing those. I’m willing to bet all of you have heard of somebody called ‘The Doctor’? Or at least you, Thomas.”</p>
<p>Thomas nodded, “Yes. I know the name. The Doctor, The Oncoming Storm, the pacifist who guards the universe.”</p>
<p>“Wait, that’s not you?” Luci was confused again.</p>
<p>Anna laughed, “No. That’s not me. They’ve been doing it far longer than me. I am nothing compared to them.” She turned to face them all, “That’s who was here today. That’s my mother.”</p>
<p>“Oh. My. Gods.” Thomas was practically shaking with excitement and astonishment.</p>
<p>“What the hell even are you two?!” exclaimed Modar.</p>
<p>“They’re two of a kind. That’s what they are,” Luci was appreciative.</p>
<p>“And side note, you should never be ashamed of yourselves,” scolded Anna, “I did nothing here. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You did this, all of this. Not me.”</p>
<p>“I need a drink.” Modar grumbled, but he was saying what they all felt.</p>
<p>An air of calmness, now everything was out in the open. The four of them sat on the steps of the control tower together, interlinked and relying on one another. They each held up various glasses full of various liquids, toasted, and drank them. There was a companionable quiet for a long time. Even The Doctor seemed to find some kind of relief.</p>
<p>“You know what this means then,” ventured Modar. Luci and Thomas looked at him. Anna looked down. “You should go with her.” Anna still stared at the floor, “You’ve been wondering about her your entire life. Now’s you chance to get to know her.”</p>
<p>Luci put her drink down. “He’s right. Everyone could use a little Anna in their lives. She did seem really lonely when you arrived. It was obvious even to those of us who aren’t blessed by the universe.” She shrugged, “The two of you have done so much on your own. Imagine what you could do together! Plus, I bet she knows bunches of people and places that could use our help, that we could learn about. You could find out new things and come back to teach us.”</p>
<p>“They’re not wrong.” The Doctor had finally taken the plunge, and lingered just inside the door. Anna’s eyes widened. She was almost entirely convinced she had already gone.</p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure you have enough on your plate without babysitting me,” Anna pointed out.</p>
<p>The Doctor shook her head. Luci and Modar respectfully shifted over so she could sit down by their friend. “It’s not like that, at all. I’m fairly sure you could fight off anything that got thrown at you.” She briefly glanced away, slightly embarrassed, “And I would really use a friendly face with me. Keep me in line. Help me find my cue cards.”</p>
<p>Anna raised a skeptical eyebrow but there were tears in her eyes. She was so horrendously torn. Luci, Modar and Thomas were her family. This was her home and she loved it. But The Doctor was her family too…and she didn’t have anyone else. Plus, the possibilities were endless. The things she could bring to Iris, the people she could help.</p>
<p>“Anna.” It was Luci “We love you and we would hate ourselves if we were selfish enough to keep you with us.</p>
<p>“You’d be doing us a favour really,” Modar pointed out, “Give somebody else the spotlight for a change.” Anna laughed, even though tears were managing to escape from her eyes and dripping on to her arm. “We can keep things going here, and you’re in a unique position to help us expand. Just think of all those people, all that life, out there, waiting to be preserved.”</p>
<p>“The Doctor and The Empath,” Thomas thought out loud, “Now, there’s a combination that would give me hope, even in my darkest days.”</p>
<p>“You were made for each other,” Luci was tearful too, but she wanted the best for her friend. She crouched down behind Anna and wrapped her arms around her, wiping away her tears. Anna held on to her arm, glad for the comfort.</p>
<p>“I can’t really say no now, can I? Even if I wanted to.”</p>
<p>“So, you’ll come with me?” The Doctor looked up, and all four of the others saw the hope glittering in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Yea, go on then,” Anna played it off cool, but she was inwardly buzzing. She could come back and see the others any time, and it’s not like they couldn’t contact her. She stood up, and the others followed suit, “I trust you to keep everything going, but should you need me, I will come back in a flash. I promise.”</p>
<p>“You better look after her Doctor,” Modar’s voice was very firm, and vaguely threatening.</p>
<p>“Trust me, Modar,” responded the Doctor, “As far as our meetings have gone to this point, she’s the one who’s been looking after me.”</p>
<p>Anna was surprised at the admission, but secretly proud. Her three friends hugged her the tightest they ever had, and she held all of them as close to her as she could. Gradually they broke off, and The Doctor nodded a goodbye at them, waiting a few paces away. Anna walked over to join her, and The Doctor even held out a hand. Anna took it, and the pair disappeared, the control panel doors closing behind her. The other three were left, happy for her, but painfully sad. Modar hugged Luci who finally broke down in tears, and Thomas just stared after the two remarkable women that had just left the room.</p>
<p>It wasn’t too far away that The Doctor had parked. Anna stopped and stared up at the TARDIS. She was completely convinced now that the ‘cutting’ River had given her to grow had been from this very ship. Which meant, technically hers was the child of this one. Hers was safely tucked away in it’s pocket dimension.</p>
<p>“I’m really glad you said yes. Be a bit embarrassing if you didn’t,” admitted The Doctor.</p>
<p>“I’m surprised you asked. I thought you had already gone.”</p>
<p>“I was going to. Came back to give back the teleportation device, and then found all of you.”</p>
<p>“You <em>heard</em> that?” Anna was the bashful one now.</p>
<p>“Yes. Promise me you’ll never blow yourself up again.”</p>
<p>“How about if I promise to not do it intentionally?”</p>
<p>“I’ll take it. You ready?”</p>
<p>Anna nodded, and the two of them walked through the doors of a little blue box. The atmosphere was slightly different, and The Doctor noticed something that the TARDIS had sneakily done. There were planters either side of the steps leading up. Anna spotted them too, but tried not to make a massive deal out of it. It felt right, somehow, being here, in the TARDIS, with The Doctor. The feeling was mutual.</p>
<p>“There’s one thing I have to level with you,” admitted the Doctor, “I’m a bit, fragile, at the moment. My head is all over the place and I’m sometimes like a different person. If you see me going somewhere not good, bring me back. Please.”</p>
<p>Anna nodded, then stepped up to join her by the control buttons. “So. Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“No idea.”</p>
<p>The Doctor pulled the lever, and the engines started.</p>
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